Draft-regulator for harrows



P. H. NELSON. Draft-Regulator for Harrows;

No. 225,759. Patented Mar. 23,-1880.

WITNESSES Q INVENTOR NiPETERS. FHOTOUTHOGRAFHER. WASHINGYON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER H. NELSON, OF HAYWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

DRAFT-REGULATOR FOR HARROWS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,759, dated March 23, 1880.

Application filed December 15, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER H. NELsoN, of Haywood, county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented a Draft-Regulator for Harrows; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide an arrangement by which the point of draft on a harrow may be altered at will during the progress of the implement over the field.

It consists of a transversely-sliding draftbar having a centrally-placed yoke or clevis, said bar being connected with a lever reaching to the rear of the harrow, so that the driver, by means of this lever, can shift the draft-bar at will without stopping the horses.

Suitable arrangements are made for holding the lever, and by it the draft-bar, in any desired position, as is more fully described in the accompanying drawing,in which the figure shows a perspective view of my improved harrow-draft regulator.

Let A represent the parts of an ordinary hinged harrow provided with the usual spiketceth, as shown. In a suitable position at the front of one of the sections are placed the guides to, carrying the rollers b, the regulatable draft-bar B sliding in these guides and impinging on the grooved rollers b.

A free transverse or lateral motion is allowed the draft-bar in the guide within certain limits, the centrally-placed yoke, hook, or clevis c preventing the bar going too far either way by coming in contact with the guides.

In the center of the draft-bar is an upright pin, (1, which is inclosed by the bifurcated end of the lever O, as shown, said lever havingits fulcrum at any convenient point on the bars of the harrow. 'Arack-bar, D, is also fixed on the harrow, and a spring hand clip or catch, a, is placed on the lever, so that the lever may be held in any position by the pin of the catch or clip engaging with the slots or racks of the rack-bar. Any of the usual devices of this character may be used to hold the lever in position; but I have shown the hand clip as most convenient, since it can be operated when the lever is grasped by the hand.

The ordinary draft bar or rod of a harrow is a fixture, and has holes formed in it, so that the clip or clevis connecting the double-trees may be put in any of the holes to alter the line of draft. This, however, necessitates the stoppage of the team and cessation of work to loosen, change, and refasten the clipan operation consuming considerable time where frequent changes would be necessary to do good work. In going back and forth, 011 a side hill, for instance, or on rolling land with alternate levels and hills, very frequent changes will be necessary.

With my device of the transverse sliding draft-bar the draft may be regulated to a nicety, and for each change of lever or line of inclination of the ground the draft may be adjusted accordingly. The driver, by means of the lever, throws his draft-bar in either direction, and the springclip holds it, and this without stopping the team or losing any time at all.

In rough or rolling ground this is specially advantageous, as it lessens the work of the team materially, avoiding frequent stoppages and startings.

The driver has at all times the draft of the harrow under instant control, and in chang' ing from a side hill to a level, or vice versa, alters the line of draft accordingly. This regulatable draft may be used on a cultivator also, when desired.

I am aware that various devices have been used heretofore for changing the direction of the draft 011 the clevis while the implement is in motion, and among them a moving or sliding pulley-bearing for the clevis, and operated by the driver by means of a lever and rack-bar; hence I make no broad claim to such devices; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with the harrow A, the draftbar B, with its yoke or clevis c, sliding in the rollercarrying guides a, and provided with a pin, d, and arearwardly-extending bifurcated lever, O, said lever having a hand clip or catch, 0, for engaging with the rack-bar 1), whereby the draft-bar may be shifted and held and the line of draft regulated at will, while the harrow is in motion over the field, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

PETER H. NELSON.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. G. YALE, S. H. NoURsE. 

